Hamakaze was a Kagero-class destroyer. Uraga Dock Company launched her on 25 November 1940. She was commissioned on 30 June 1941. Nineteen names are usually counted in the class.
At Midway she was in the carrier screen. American dive bombers sank Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu on 4 June. Hiryu's aircraft crippled Yorktown, and Hiryu was sunk later that day. Those losses are not credited to Hamakaze. She was not sunk.
On 6 July 1943 she was in the first transport group at Kula Gulf, with Mochizuki and Mikazuki. The group landed its troops. She was not in the gunfight. Three torpedoes from Suzukaze and Tanikaze hit Helena. That hit is not pinned to one of those two destroyers, and it is not credited to Hamakaze.
On 18 August 1943 she was off Horaniu with Shigure, Isokaze, and Sazanami. They were covering barges. Four American destroyers met them. Torpedoes from both sides missed. Gunfire from Ryan's destroyers slightly damaged her. The hit is not credited to one of those destroyers. She was back in action three days later. Most of the barges still landed their troops.
On 7 April 1945 she was escorting the battleship Yamato toward Okinawa. American carrier aircraft sank her southwest of Nagasaki. Asashimo and Isokaze were lost in the same attack. Her loss is credited to the air attack, not to one plane.
